Play is a way of them telling us about their lives

07-25-2011, 11:46 AM

On page 157, Larry writes how play is a glimpse into their lives. Have you seen this in action?

"Play, as Patty Wipfler suggests, is children's way of telling us about their lives. Playing what they want to play, how they want to play it, is our way of really listening. We have all had the experience of wanting to tell someone something, but they keep interrupting us or changing the subject or telling us what to do or how to feel. We hate it, yet we do it to our children all the time. We say, "I hate that game", or we take over the game, telling them how to do it properly. That's not the best way to get a peek into our children's lives, to see what they really think and feel. Playing their way, on their terms, is what does it."